If you're a home owner unfamiliar with plumbing, you're probably familiar with the experience of bei...

1. Things You Had to Find out about Plumbing
If you're a home owner unfamiliar with plumbing, you're probably familiar with the experience of
being charged an arm and a leg for what seems like a simple plumbing repair. If you'd like to avoid
this experience again, read on for some advice and tips on how to fix your own plumbing.
Find a plumber that you can trust. Make sure to get referrals from friends and family so that you can
prevent getting ripped off, which happens often. Also make sure not to pay the plumber before the
work is completed. If you do that, there will not be an incentive to get the job completed in a timely
manner.
To avoid having your outdoor faucets freeze up
in the winter, detach all hoses before the first
freeze. Also, close the shutoff valve that leads to
the outdoor faucets, then turn on the outdoor
faucets to let any remaining water in the lines
drain. Once temperatures warm up in the
spring, you can reverse the process.
Make sure everyone that lives in your house
knows where to find and use the main water
shut off valve in case there is a burst pipe
emergency. This is especially important if you
live in an area where your pipes may freeze.
Take a moment to show your family members
where the valve is and how to properly shut it
off.
Do not pay anything until the problem is fixed.
In some cases, you have to make a down
payment prior to the first day of work. This is
okay to do; however, don't let your plumber talk
you into paying the entire cost of a job before
he's finished, and never pay the whole cost before he's even begun. It is a good thing to know the
plumber did his job as he agreed to before he get's all of his money.
If your sink is letting rusty water out and it will not drain, it is mostly likely because of the biological
scum and grease that is built up in the pipes. You need to have your drains professionally cleaned,
allowing maximum flow through your drains. Your drains must be open completely.
Make sure that your tool box is ready for any project you are preparing to do. The last thing you
want is to be knee deep in a job only to find that you are missing the one tool you need to finish. Be
sure to have various sizes of pipe wrenches that can be used to complete any job.
During the winter, preventing frozen pipes when you live in a small dwelling can be something good
to know. Frozen pipes will not only stop your flow of water but can crack and damage pipes. By
running a little water out of every faucet during the coldest parts of the day, you can avoid this.

2. Avoid using harsh chemicals to clear clogged drains by purchasing a hand-held manual auger. A
drain auger is a one-time purchase as opposed to purchasing a new bottle every time a drain is
clogged. This is especially helpful for people who deal with clogged drains often, such as people with
long hair or kids who like to drop things down the drain.
Make sure to pour a gallon or two of water into drains that are used infrequently. Not only does this
make sure that they are clear when you need them, but can also fill the trap and make sure that
unpleasant odors don't enter your home. Doing this periodically will also help you to catch problems
before they become serious.
To be successful in any plumbing project, make sure you turn the
http://www.rheem.com/products/tank_water_heaters/ water off before you start unscrewing pipes.
This tip might actually sound insulting, but you are probably getting caught up in having the right
tools and parts and being dressed right. Double check that there is not a splash waiting for you.
Then triple and quadruple check.
If you have a leak and your water bill is going up, there is a method you can try before you call a
professional. You can use the red-dye system to detect whether the leak is above ground,
underground, or whether it has anything to do with the toilets.
When plunging a drain to attempt to remove a blockage, first make sure that the drain is completely
covered in water. This helps to form a seal. Then, plunge at least fifteen to twenty times before
stopping. Repeat the process two to three times. If this doesn't work, try a chemical drain cleaner.
Do not place items in the toilets that do not belong there. For example, if you are a female, do not
throw away sanitary pads or tampons in your toilet. This could cause severe damage to your toilet
that could require a plumber, or even worse, a whole new toilet!
If you are putting in a water heater make sure that the pipe that is connected to the drainage pipe is
reconnected. This could be a recirculation pipe. This kind of pipe helps keep your water hot without
wasting any of it.
A pipe snake might solve the problems of an overflowing washing machine. Sometimes lint and small
things from the machine will build up and make it back up.
Learn early what type of faucet you have and learn how to handle common issues that may arise
with it. There are four basic faucet types: compression, cartridge, disc, and ball. If you know ahead
of time what you have and how to fix it, you will save yourself some major frustrations down the
road.

3. To compare the quality of your pipes or
sewers over time, create a video for
documentation purposes. Several months
later, make the same video so that you can
see if there are any new cracks or holes that
require fixing. This can serve as a great way
to analyze your infrastructure.
Check the plumbing in your home. If your
home has the flexible gray polybutylene water
pipes, you need to have a plumber come out
and assess their condition. These types of pipe
are prone to failure and can lead to very
costly repairs if they have a failure water
heater repair electric within your home.
Now you should be much more prepared
when it comes to plumbing. If you thought that you were ready before, well you should now be an
expert! The tips that were given should have provided you some advice that can help you get started
with maintaining and fixing your own plumbing.